A photolithography technique is used to manufacture a device such as a semiconductor device. In this photolithography technique, a resist (photosensitive agent) on a substrate is exposed through a pattern on a mask (original) by an exposure apparatus, and a resist pattern is formed on the substrate by developing the resist. Then, a layer below the resist pattern is etched or ions are implanted into the layer by using the resist pattern as a mask.
Recently, an imprint technique in which a resin on a substrate is molded and cured by using a mold is attracting attention as another technique for manufacturing a device. In an imprint apparatus using this imprint technique, a force (release force) by which the mold and substrate pull against each other is generated when releasing the mold from the substrate (resin). This release force may deform (strain) the mold, thereby changing the shape of the resin pattern formed on the substrate. Therefore, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0260361 has proposed a technique which deforms the substrate in accordance with the deformation of the mold by adjusting a holding force (for example, a chucking force) for holding the substrate, thereby reducing the change in pattern shape.
In this related art, however, even when the release operation is completed, a state in which the mold is not completely released from the substrate, that is, a portion of the substrate keeps sticking to the mold can occur. In this case, both a head holding the mold and a stage holding the substrate hold the mold and substrate, so it is not preferable to continue the imprint process in a state like this.